The invention relates generally to the field of digital computer systems and networks of such computer systems, and more particularly to systems and methods for facilitating the transfer of management information, particularly management information relating to failures or other malfunctions and problems, to a central location for servicing.
In modem xe2x80x9centerprisexe2x80x9d digital data processing systems, that is, computer systems for use in an office environment in a company, a number of personal computers, workstations, and other devices such as mass storage subsystems, network printers and interfaces to the public telephony rat system, are typically interconnected in a computer network. The personal computers and workstations are used by individual users to perform processing in connection with data and programs that may be stored in the network mass storage subsystems. In such an arrangement, the personal computers/workstations, operating as clients, download the data and programs from the network mass storage subsystems for processing. In addition, the personal computers or workstations will enable processed data to be uploaded to the network mass storage subsystems for storage, to a network printer for printing, to the telephony interface for transmission over the public telephony system, or the like. In such an arrangement, the network mass storage subsystems, network printers and telephony interface operate as servers, since they are available to service requests from all of the clients in the network. By organizing the network in such a manner, the servers are readily available for use by all of the personal computers/workstations in the network.
Such a network may be spread over a fairly wide area, with the personal computers/workstations being interconnected by communication links such as switches and routers which, in turn, are connected to the various devices (that is, the personal computers/workstations, mass storage subsystems, network printers, telephony interfaces and the like) by electrical wires or optic fibers. The switches receive data, in the form of message packets, from the various devices operating as source devices, and direct them to other devices, as destination devices. Some types of devices may operate only as source devices, to generate information for transfer to other devices, or as destination devices, to receive information from other devices, but other types of devices may operate as both source devices and/or destination devices to transfer data to and receive data from other devices in the network.
As networks become more complex, the likelihood that a device, switch or communication link will fail or otherwise malfunction also increases. When a failure or other malfunction occurs, a number of problems can develop, including, for example, reduction in bandwidth and loss and corruption of message packets.
The invention provides new and improved systems and methods for facilitating the accumulating, filtering and transferring of management information, particularly management information relating to failures or other malfunctions and problems, to a central location for servicing.
In brief summary, a management information transfer system for use in connection with a network including one or more host computers and a mass storage subsystem interconnected by a plurality of switching nodes, is configured to transfer processed management information to a management service center located remotely from the network. The management information transfer system includes a management server that is configured to receive management information from the switching nodes, and possibly the host computers, which may be directed to failures or other malfunctions in connection with their operations. The management server is configured to perform a filtering operation in connection with the management information that it receives from the switching nodes using filtering policies that may be established by, for example, a network administrator. The management server enables the mass storage subsystem to, in turn, enable its console to transfer the filtered management information to the management service center to facilitate diagnosis and possible correction of the failures or other malfunctions.